Frizzy Friday: Giovanni l.a. natural styling gel

This is a product I have used on and off for a long time, and just recently got my mother hooked on it (my mother having the polar opposite hair as me – which gives you a great idea of how versatile this product is). So, let’s talk about its benefits!

I don’t know about you, but I was a teen of the late 90s, early 2000s. It was a bad time for hair care. Dippity Do, Bedhead, and tons of gel – remember that? This was before curl creams really made a debut on the market, and all I looked for was STRENGTH to hold my curls in place. My friends, I was a victim of extra use of gel.

Crunchy. Crispy. I used to wash my hair every. single. day. and glob on the gel. I would freak if hair was out of place, or too puffy; it wasn’t until after Grade 12 that I learned that such a thing as ‘layers’ could work wonders for curls. Since discovering curl cream and other curly hair products, I’ve never again looked at Dep or Alberto styling gel.

So you can understand my aversion to gel, right? Although sometimes it’s just nicer to have things stay in place. I found Giovanni’s products at a local health food store, and after reading the label to make sure there was no alcohol, silicone, or sulfates, decided to take it home and try it out. I’m going to be on my third bottle shortly (I don’t use a ton; a small amount gets the job done).

How I use it: after ‘plopping’ my hair with a t-shirt, I add about a quarter-sized amount of gel starting from the ends and squeezing my way up. Now, onto the big question…does it work?

YES. Initially, when your hair is drying, there will be remnants of that wonderfully crunchy texture (because who doesn’t like to relive their most awkward pre-teen days?). But once it fully dries, just shake the hair out and – ta-da! – soft, bouncy curls that maintain their shape. It’s awesome. It makes me frizz-free, AND by using my lavender spray, I’m able to reactive the gel for a few days after the fact. It’s like the hair product that keeps on giving!